If you ask me what is the greatest thing in the world,
I will reply: It is people, people, people!

HAERE MAI - WELCOME

The Māori

The ancestors of the Māori were a Polynesian people originating from south-east Asia. Some historians trace the early Polynesian settlers of New Zealand as migrating from today's China, making the long voyage traveling via Taiwan, through the South Pacific and on to Aotearoa (New Zealand).

The anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl, on the other hand, claims that the Polynesians arrived in the Pacific from America, rather than from the East, as other scholars claim. Heyerdahl bases his theory on the fact that the kumara, staple cultivated food crop of the pre-European New Zealand Māori, originates from central South America.

Around thirty thousand years ago, Polynesian forbears inhabited the Bismarck Archipelago, to the east of New Guinea. These people had a Lapita culture, of which earthenware pots, distinctive and highly coloured, were a characteristic. This particular pottery was given the name of Lapita Ware, after an archaeological site in New Caledonia.

The Lapita pottery first appeared around the mid-second millennium. It can be traced through Melanesia to New Caledonia and then east to Samoa. It was in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga that the Lapita potters became the founding population. During the first millennium BC, many features of the typically Polynesian culture developed here.

The use of pottery appeared to have disappeared by the time that New Zealand was discovered. Other crafts took over, such as the stone fabricated adzes and fish hooks. These tools can be traced to New Zealand from Eastern Polynesia.

Around 3500 years ago the Polynesian culture began to expand eastwards from the Bismarck Archipelago. The exact reasons for this expansion are as yet unknown. Some Polynesians remained in the central south Pacific, while others moved on past Tahiti, and almost certainly arriving as far as South America, home of the kumara.

The exact date of Polynesian settlement of the islands of New Zealand is also unknown. Although previously thought to have been between 950 -1130 AD, scholars now debate both the time and circumstances of first Polynesian settlement. The mythical Polynesian navigator, Kupe, was estimated by ethnologists in the 19th and early 20th centuries as having arrived around 925. By the same scholars, the mythical Māori figure Toi was estimated as having visited New Zealand in 1150. The Great Fleet, considered to be the first mass arrival of Polynesian settlers, was estimated to have arrived in 1350. Modern scholars are now questioning not only the exactitude of the above dates, but also the Great Fleet theory itself. The debate continues today.

The Great Fleet forms part of the Māori canoe tradition, handed down orally from generation to generation. According to this tradition, the canoes of the Great Fleet arrived from the mythical homeland of Hawaiiki, known as the ancestral homeland, and generally considered as being somewhere in Eastern Polynesia.

The Great Fleet canoes were : the Aotea, Arawa, Tainui, Kurahaupo, Takitimu, Horouata, Tokomaru and Mataatua. * Archaeological linguistic and cultural evidence today has discredited the Great Fleet theory, and a general consensus among scholars now is that the Polynesians originally moved into the Pacific from the West, spread eastwards, and that the Māori came most recently from the eastern Pacific (that is Tahiti or the Marquesas). They began to arrive in New Zealand about 1000 years ago.

The first Polynesians settled mainly around the coast of New Zealand, and especially the east coast, which was more hospitable and temperate in climate. The settlers introduced animals such as the dog and the small Polynesian rat.
At this time, New Zealand was home to many flightless birds, including the Moa. This bird was, as a consequent, hunted extensively for its meat, large eggs, and feathers. The Moa bones, being strong, were used to fabricate artefacts. The Moa was particularly abundant in the South Island. There were 11 species of the bird, ranging from the size of a turkey up to 3.7 metres tall, and weighing up to 200 kg. Different species included the Upland moa (megalapteryx didinus), the Heavy-footed moa (Euryapteryx geranoides) and the Giant moa (Dinornis giganteus).

Although Māori culture was a totally stone-age culture until the arrival of Europeans and the introduction of metal, it was highly evolved. The various working materials used before the Māori had access to metal were mainly bird bones, whale bones, ivory teeth, both dog and human bones, and also stone, from the large stone resources which had been discovered further inland within New Zealand. .....

In the new land

The new settlers used their excellent skills for adze fabrication. Woodworking adzes were the main tool used by early Māori. These were "core tools", and were made by hitting one piece of stone with another, in order to remove chips and flakes. The core remaining after this process became the tool. The "flake tool" was used to remove chips or flakes from the core tool, and the flake tool was commonly used as a knife. After the arrival of the Europeans, metal became available for trade. The first metal items included mainly ships' nails, and hoop iron bands from barrels.

Often, before a tool was used for fabrication or working purposes, a ritual chant was performed in order to ensure the effectiveness of the tool concerned. The Polynesians introduced the sweet potato (kumara), a quick maturing crop, and which was able to be cultivated particularly well in the warmer northern region of New Zealand. The kumara, staple diet of the Māori, were stored in deep cool pits on sloping hillsides. The pits had doorways, and the kumara were stacked on platforms within the pit. Extra food was stored in a "pataka" (storehouse), generally decorated with carvings which made reference to fertility, or to a generous food supply.

The pataka was mounted on piles, usually several feet from the ground, and situated within the marae area. Within the pataka were stocked preserved goods - dried fish, flesh, and also weapons or mats. It symbolised the rich resources of the tribal chief, and was a source of great mana (prestige) to the tribe. Only war canoes were second to the pataka in prestigious ranking. The pataka was usually tapu (under sacred protection). .....

Other crops imported by the Polynesians were the taro, yam and also the paper mulberry, which was used to make bark cloth. For the tribes further south, living in a much cooler climate and where crops were less easily cultivated, hunting the Moa and the seal remained the main activities for food resources. When the Moa and other species of flightless birds eventually became extinct a few centuries later, fish and shellfish become the staple diet of the Māori, in supplement to the kumara. Seals and whales were also hunted. Fishing was a very important economic activity, and fishing rights still take extreme importance today.

With diminishing resources in other areas, the major food resources now became the Weka (flightless aquatic bird), the Barracouta (fish abundant in the southern hemisphere and related to the great mackerel family), eels, and the Titi (muttonbird). The roots of the Ti kouka (cabbage tree) were baked, producing a sweet sugary substance. .....

Before the advent of the "Pa" (a fortified village), the early settlers lived in small undefended settlements known as "kainga". These were mainly established in sheltered coastal locations, often near to harbours or estuaries. The kainga consisted of one or more inhabitations, and included structures for storing food and an area for communal food preparation. Food was cooked in the ground, on hot stones, a typically Polynesian feature. The food would be either cooked out in the open, or under a sheltered area which would be separate from the main dwelling house. Kainga house plans have been located in New Zealand on sites at Palliser Bay, in the North Island, and have been dated back to the 12th, 15th and 16th centuries.

The most famous of these sites is situated at Wairau Bar, in the northern area of the South Island, and is dated between the 11th and 13th centuries. It appears to have been a centre of stone adze fabrication.
As time went by the kainga became larger, including some defences. This began to happen when tensions started arising over rights to areas rich in food resources. ...

http://history-nz.org/maori.html

A Story of Maori Gratitude.

The Maori was punctilious in such matters of social etiquette as the returning of a feast or a gift. The feast was a tribal obligation; the guests could not rest content until they had entertained their hosts at a kai-haukai. Sometimes even individual personal services were taken up by the group of families constituting the hapu, who considered it their duty to make a fitting requital for kindness rendered to one of their members. A pakeha often enough would consider an expression of thanks sufficient. Not so the Maori. He would rack his brains and tax his resources to the utmost to repay a favour in the most generous manner possible. I have known of quite trifling services to people of the older generation handsomely acknowledged, in the form of valuable gifts, sometimes after the original action had all but been forgotten. When the saving of life was involved, gratitude knew no bounds.

This example of native custom and of the intensity of feeling aroused by a deed of humanity was related to me by an old Arawa friend of mine, the venerable woman Heni te Kiri-karamu, who in her young days had fought under two flags, first the Kingite and then the Government. The period was the Waikato War, the scene the Upper Waihou, not far from the present town of Matamata. Many hundreds of people had assembled at Peria and other Kingite villages and camps on the Upper Waihou at the end of 1863, and Heni and her Koheriki sub-tribe rejoiced in the security and rest and food they found there in the fruitful land of the Ngati-Haua after their perils and scanty rations during the months spent on the warpath from the Wairoa Ranges southward. Her brother and sister left Peria to join their compatriots in the great Waikato fortress at Paterangi; Heni remained with her children and her mother. She was about twenty-three years of age at this time; she had been seven years married, and had carried a child on her back all through the earlier part of the war; carried, too, a gun and ammunition. Her husband and she had parted.
One day a party of the Koheriki, Piri-Rakau and other people in the principal village set out to Hangaa, across the Waihou River, on a bush expedition for wild honey. They had to cross the Waihou River, which was high after recent heavy rains in the hills. Heni watched all her companions swim or wade the swift stream. She could not swim, so she attempted to wade it. When she reached the middle of the river the current swept her into deep water. Her friends had passed on out of sight and hearing, but they quickly missed her, and several of them came back to the river to look for her.

By this time Heni was all but drowned. She had been carried under, and came to the surface again some distance down the river. A man named Te Apaapa saw her head appear, and running along the high bank he jumped into the flooded river. She had sunk again, but Te Apaapa dived, got a grip of her, and brought her to the bank. With one hand he caught hold of a koromiko shrub firmly rooted in the bank, and supporting Heni with the other, kept her head out of the water until help arrived.

Heni was apparently drowned when she was lifted up the bank. The Maori had a heroic remedy for such cases that often saved a life that seemingly had departed. The people quickly made a fire of green wood and leaves that produced a thick smoke, and held her over the fire. They shook the water out of her lungs. The penetrative wood smoke was exactly the irritant required to restore her breathing. She was soon able to continue the journey to the bee trees of Hangaa.
Laden with honey-filled calabashes and vessels of bark, packed in flax kits, the party returned to Peria two days later. They met their war company returning from the Waikato after an unsuccessful attempt to join the main body of the Kingites in Paterangi. Little was said about Te Apaapa's rescue of Heni from drowning until all were assembled at home again. Then, on the marae, the village parade ground, there was a dramatic scene one morning.

Heni's brother, Te Waha-huka, and the elder people of the Koheriki had decided to offer a gift to Te Apaapa as a reward for saving the young woman's life. They therefore gathered all their property of value, such as mere weapons, tiki and ear-pendants of greenstone, and the finest decorated mats of flax and feathers. These articles they carried out and laid before Te Apaapa and his kinsfolk of the Piri-Rakau, the bush-dwelling tribe who lived in the hills above Tauranga. They also offered a share in their lands at Rotorua should they survive to reach their old tribal home.

But not a thing would Te Apaapa or his friends touch. "It was but our duty to save the life of one of our people," said they. "We are your relatives, we of the Piri-Rakau; wherefore then should we be paid for so ordinary an action, one that any one of you would have done for us?" Everything laid out on the marae before Te Apaapa was carried back ceremoniously and placed in front of Heni and her friends. There was an interval of silence, and then Heni rose. She walked across to Te Apaapa and spoke. "You saved me from death," she said, "and you have refused to accept the gifts we offer in token of our gratitude. I have nothing else to offer you-only myself. I give myself to you now, as your pononga- your servant. I am here at your feet." And there she seated herself, her gaze fixed on the ground, her shawl drawn over her head.

This speech and the profound feeling of obligation and gratitude which prompted it, following upon the Koheriki's preferred gift of their possessions, touched the hearts of the assembled people. One man after another rose and spoke in admiration of Heni's offer. "It is the act of a chieftainess," they said, "the behaviour of a true rangatira. It befits one who is a descendant of the great ancestor Rongomai-papa." So there the matter rested. The obligation was discharged; the saving of life had been requited by the offer of a life. Gratitude could go no further. But very soon there were other things in the moving drama of life to absorb the attention of the people. There was a call to arms from Tauranga, where the Ngai-te-Rangi were about to be attacked by the British general, and presently Heni and her friends were doing battle for their lives in the entrenchment of the Gate Pa.

Hauhaus Enter Ngati-Porou Territory

After the shocking massacre of the Rev. C. S. Volkner, at Opotiki, on March 2, 1865, the Hauhaus, led by the Taranaki native, Patara (Butler), wended their way towards East Cape. There was good reason for the move, for Ngati-Porou had already evinced sympathy with the kingite movement, by sending delegates to the great meeting held at Rangiriri in April, 1857.
Hoera Tamatatai, leader of the delegation, had delivered a great speech at the big conference, pointing out that the pakeha and Maori could never pull together. "You might as page 53well," he said, "yoke a horse with a bullock, for the horse would kick and the bullock use his horns" ("Ka whana te hoiho, ka tuki te kau.") On the return of Hoera and his party they brought with them the kingite flag Rura. This was duly hoisted at Wai-o-Matatini, when the chief Popata Te Kauru was made king.

When the war in Waikato broke out in 1863 a contingent of Ngati-Porou sympathisers set out for the scene of war. Their progress was stopped by the Arawa at Kaokaoroa, but those who got through later took part in the Gate Pa and Te Ranga fights in 1864, and several of them were killed.
It may be remembered also that a Ngati-Porou chief, Te Kani-a-Takirau, was offered the Maori crown, which he wisely declined to accept, as he did not want any foreign title. Virtually he had always been a king.

As the rebels proceeded towards East Cape, tribes on the way easily succumbed by joining the party. The small Ngaitai tribe at Torere, under the chief Wiremu Kingi, and Houkamau's people at Hicks Bay held no parley with the rebels. On hearing of the approach of the Hauhaus the Rev. Mohi Turei, wearing a bandolier over his shoulders, made his way to Popoti, where the Aowera were holding a hui. Mohi was related to the sub-tribe. On seeing his military outfit they asked him what he meant. Briefly he told them that the Philistine Hauhaus were on the border of the Ngati-Porou territory and must be driven back by all means in their power. This appeal was sufficient to stir up the warlike Aowera, and very soon a war party armed only with native weapons was on its way to meet and drive out the intruders. The party came in contact with the enemy on the bank of the Mangaone stream, about two miles north of Tikitiki. The Hauhaus, armed with firearms, had the advantage over the ill-armed Aowera, who were compelled to retreat, leaving behind them several dead, amongst whom were the chiefs Henare Nihoniho and Makoare.
Encouraged by their success the Hauhaus entered the Waiapu Valley, the stronghold of the Ngati-Porou Tribe, and occupied the Pukemaire pa. Mokena Kohere, with a party of his own tribe, had come on to give support to the Aowera, but on hearing that the enemy had occupied Pukemaire encamped two miles to the east. He had sent a re- page 54 connoitring patrol, whom the enemy had surprised and chased. Mokena Kohere and his men had just time enough to get away, leaving behind them Mokena's relative, Hunia Huaki, whom the Hauhaus did not spare.

Mokena Kohere was fined on as he was crossing the Poroporo River, but escaped unscathed. He took up his stand at Rua-o-Pango, or Hatepe, as the stronghold was afterwards named. The Hauhaus had built for themselves a strong pa at Pakairomiromi, on the right bank of the Maraehara River. Almost every day the rebels fired on Hatepe and relied on incantations to render the loyalists' bullets harmless. One fanatic approached the pa and held up his right hand, muttering incantation all the time. The loyalists fired and missed, but the notorious Hemi Tapeka took a steadier aim and put the fanatic out of action. Meanwhile the chiefs Pineamine Tuhaka, Arapeta Haenga, Wikiriwhi Matauru and others had entered Hatepe to render help to the besieged pa. It might have fallen, and Mokena Kohere and his small garrison, with women and children, might have been annihilated if relief had not arrived in time. T. W. Gudgeon says: "Hotene and Mokena, with the faithful portion of the people, retired to Hatepe, near the Waiapu beach, and wrote to Sir Donald (then Mr.) McLean asking for guns. They were immediately supplied, and in all probability this prompt action saved the country half a million of money, for had not the arms and ammunition been sent at once, Ropata and Mokena would have been destroyed or forced to join the Hauhaus."
Hotene was never in Hatepe pa. If the place had fallen Mokena Kohere and those with him would have been destroyed and Ropata would not have been touched, for he was out in the open.

"At the beginning of the Hauhau troubles in the Ngati Porou territory," says James Cowan, "the chief Mokena Kohere took energetic measures to restore order and loyalty. He asked Mr. Titus White, R.M., to go to Auckland to procure arms for the friendly natives. Mr. White set out in a small schooner, but it foundered with all on board off White Island. Mokena then decided to go to Napier and see Mr. Donald McLean. His mission was successful."
A body of thirty volunteers, under Captain Biggs, from Hawke's Bay was despatched by a small craft to Waiapu to render Mokena Kohere some assistance. Captain Biggs also brought with him arms and ammunition for Mokena Kohere's small garrison. Later a body of fifty men, under Captain Fraser, was despatched to Waiapu, Lieutenant Gascoigne also accompanying the men. They left Napier by the gunboat Eclipse, in command of Captain Fremantle. The Eclipse made a fast trip, reaching Awanui in thirty-six hours. This body of men was known as "The Fighting Fifty." With the thirty volunteers already arrived under Captain Biggs the white troops now totalled eighty. The Hauhaus, numbering between 200 and 300, kept up investing Hatepe, but Mokena Kohere held on. Fortunately he had well strengthened the stronghold.

Many, many years ago, the romance of Tupurupuru and the beautiful maiden Konini, was retold over and over by the Wairarapa Maori people, and handed down through many generations by the hapu (tribes), where the roots of the romance first came into existence. Our story began in the Valley of Taueru, at a place known as Te Whiti, on a hillside where a cave exists even to this day. The cave was, and is still, known as Tupurupuru's cave. It is sited in the middle of a clearing in the vast forest which surrounded the Taueru Valley.

On a beautiful clear morning just at the break of dawn, the surrounding bushland was filled with the songs of thousands of birds - the tui, kaka, bell-bird, the tiny riroriro, the cooing of the kereru (wood pigeon), and other songsters who all contributed their part towards the melodious music of the forest.
The last calls of the kiwi and the weka had ceased at the approach of dawn, while the sweet melodious notes of the sacred huia, could be heard calling its mate from amongst the scarlet blossoms of the rata tree. Soon it would be spring again, and from now on could be heard the long drawn out notes of the migrating pipiwharauroa, the long-tailed cuckoo.

Within the cave a young man awoke out of his sleep. This was Tupurupuru, known to his kith and kin as ‘Tu'. Now Tu was awakened from a vivid dream, and as he rose and stretched himself, one could see that he was very tall, very lean, but very powerfully built. He seemed full of eagerness and purpose as he moved about preparing a meal, and well he might be, as in his dream his father, Mananui, had appeared to him, as he had done many times before.
Mananui in his time was a great tohunga, who had devoted all his powers to bring up his son to be mighty and powerful - for a set purpose. This purpose was to slay the taniwha Huarau.

For many years the taniwha had been raiding his pa and fishing parties. Ngarara Huarau, being a water taniwha, could not travel very far from the water. His permanent home was at Uwhiroa, the swamp of some 500 acres in the centre of the Longbush area. This swamp was very tapu to the older Maoris, even after the early European advent into the Wairarapa. The usual route the taniwha took on his foraging was down the Makahaka stream, through Gladstone, and thence to the Taueru and the Ruamahanga rivers. Now on one of its raids the taniwha came upon a large fishing camp, with people from several pa who had joined together to harvest kakahi (fresh water pipi), eels and native trout, etc.

The camp was pitched near where the Taueru river flows into the Ruamahanga river. The taniwha came upon the campers so suddenly, that very few were able to escape from the monster. Among those who escaped was Konini, the beautiful maiden who was betrothed to Tupurupuru. Konini lived with her parents at Kehemane, near the present road from Martinborough to Pope's Head, on the bank of the Huangaroa river. A few days before the taniwha Ngarara Huarau raided the fishing camp at Taueru, Tupurupuru had journeyed to Kehemane to visit his beloved Konini. On arrival there he was told that she had left with a party to go fishing at the Taueru river.

Tu immediately left in great fear as the taniwha had been very restive of late. On arrival at the fishing camp, and seeing the terrible havoc that the taniwha had made, he immediately hastened to Hurunuiorangi, which was the nearest pa, to make inquiries.

The people there told Tu that a number of their people had been killed by the taniwha, but that Konini had been with a party snaring pigeons, and had escaped somewhere, perhaps to Hinewaka. Tu refused to rest or take food, and hurried on to the Ruamahanga river, where he plunged in and swam swiftly for the opposite shore. He travelled up the Maungarakis to Hinewaka. By the time he reached Hinewaka, he was becoming very weary, so accepted the food that was pressed upon him, and rested. He was very disappointed that his friends had seen no trace of Konini's party.

Komene Tahana, the chief of Hinewaka, suggested to Tu that perhaps Konini and her friends had fled north to Ngaumutawa, so Tu, deeply troubled, said goodbye to his friends at Hinewaka, and set off down the hill to Taueru, and swam the river to the other side. Just as darkness was falling he came to one of his favourite caves, the stopping place at Te Whiti.

Tupurupuru was now eager to be on his way, because while he was in a deep sleep at the cave, his father Mananui appeared before him and raising his hand in salute, had said, ‘Greetings, my son. You have done well, and I have come to calm your fears. You shall hear of your beloved Konini if you go to Ngaumutawa, but you will not find her without further worry. Remember that wedlock is tapu to you until after you have destroyed the taniwha Ngarara Huarau. Also, my son, you have only one man to fear. Beware of Morunga, he is full of treachery. Farewell my son, until you have carried out my heart's desire. Then will I appear before you again.'
So Tupurupuru left his cave, and sped swiftly north with great eagerness, hoping to see his beloved Konini safe and well. Again swimming the Ruamahanga, near where the Waingawa river flows into it, he hurried to Ngaumutawa.

Here he learned that Konini and her party had left two days ahead of him for Hakakino, by way of Kaikokirikiri. There he learned that the party had stayed for only a short while and then set off for Hakakino, on the banks of the Wainuioru river. After accepting a little food to help him on his way, Tu set out on a well-beaten track to the east, then after crossing the Ruamahanga river once more, swiftly passed through the dense forest on to Te Oreore flats, climbed the Weraiti hills and came to the Taueru river. Crossing the river, he decided to pause awhile beside the Patukawa stream for food and drink before striking out up the spur on the track to Kumukumu, and then on to Hakakino pa.

While travelling along a certain spur, he thought he had heard a sound ahead. Springing behind a large matai tree, he peered through the leaves of the rangiora which were very dense thereabouts, and saw a runner coming down the track panting heavily. As the runner passed, Tu pounced upon him, seizing him in his powerful arms. He threw him to the ground, knelt upon him and cried out, ‘Ko wai koe' (who are you). Then seeing that the runner was winded, Tu waited for him to speak.
Presently the runner spoke, ‘I am Epihana Te Tau. I was visiting friends at Hakakino, when we were raided by a Te Raki taua (a northern war party). We were overpowered and the place was ransacked.'

Hearing this, Tu sprang up and cried. ‘When did this happen. Did you see a tall beautiful maiden by the name of Konini? Come, answer, man!'
‘It happened this morning.' the runner said, ‘and Konini was among five or six of us who dived off the cliff into the Wainuioru river. The last I saw of her. she was swimming downstream.'

On hearing this, Tupurupuru seized his hunting spear and dashed on his way. As he neared Hakakino be became wary, and treading softly, crept near to where the raiders were resting. Tu could hear that there was an argument going on. and on creeping closer, heard the leader of the party say, ‘Enough! I decree that we depart on our way home tomorrow.' Tu, skirting the camp silently, descended to the river, then scouting the bank for any human sign, he presently saw small footprints in the sand of the riverbed. He knew they were made by his beloved Konini.

Swiftly following the footprints up the bank of the river into the bush, he soon came upon Konini, lying seemingly lifeless beneath a large totara tree.
In great fear, Tu rushed forward, and throwing himself beside her, placed his head upon her breast to hear if her heart was beating. To his great joy, it seemed to be beating quite strongly, but her whole body began shivering. Realising that she was suffering from cold and fatigue, he lifted her in his arms and carried her deep into the forest in a westerly direction.

After tramping some distance, he decided that they were quite safe and that Konini needed warmth and food. Searching round, he came upon a large totara tree from whose branches a lot of kiekie leaves had fallen to the ground. By crumbling some dry totara bark and twirling two sticks between his hands, Tu soon had a fire going close to the tree. Taking a cooked kereru from his kit, he broke off pieces of the bird into a calabash he carried on his belt. Adding water from a nearby stream, he placed the ipu on some hot ashes to warm. Scraping the fire away from the tree, he placed some of the dry kiekie leaves where the fire had been, and lifted Konini upon the bed of leaves. Konini ceased to shiver as the warmth from the ground where the fire had been penetrated through the leaves.

Konini gave a slight moan, and Tu, who was watching her closely, seized the ipu and pressed it gently to her lips, tipping it so that the warm liquid passed down her throat. Presently Konini opened her eves. Seeing Tu. she smiled and gave a deep sigh, than sank back into sleep. Now that Tu had found his loved one, he realised he would have to find a safe place for them to hide until the raiders had gone. Finally he decided to carry Konini high up on the Maungarakis to a limestone cave beneath the top of Pariwarariki.

This cave was large and dry, and as Tu often used it, he always kept a good stock of dry wood there. Also, there was a small spring of good fresh water nearby, which never ran dry. In a cunningly devised sling, he kept smoked tuna and kereru. By the time he had reached the cave with his burden. Tupurupuru was completely tired and weary. He and his beloved Konini were quite safe from the raiders, and could rest and recover their strength.

Early next morning, when the birds of the forest began their morning chorus. Tu was up and about preparing a meal. Treading softly, he crept to where Konini was sleeping, and as he watched her. she opened her eyes. Seeing her beloved Tu, Konini sprang to her feet crying, ‘E Tu, ko koe tena' (Oh Tu, is it really you). I have had a terrible dream. Where are we? Where is this place? I have prayed for Tane, and all of our other gods, to send you to me.'
‘Hush,' said Tu, ‘you were exhausted when I found you near the Wainuioru river. Are you feeling better, my loved one? Are you hungry? Come, here is food to eat. Let us eat, and then we can bask in the sun, and admire the scenery until we recover. Then I will take you back to your parents at Kehemane. They will be fretting over you.'
There was great jubilation at Konini's home when they arrived, and Tupurupuru was feted, as was Maori custom on such an occasion.
When the time came to say goodbye. Konini and her parents begged Tupurupuru to remain. Konini's parents wanted him to stay and marry their daughter. But remembering his father's great desire that his son should slay the taniwha Ngarara Huarau, Tu told Konini and her parents that he was under a vow to his father to slay the taniwha, and that marriage was tapu to him, until he had fulfilled the vow.It is satisfying to place on record that Tupurupuru did slay the taniwha, and was married to his beloved Konini. So ended one of the most well known romances of the Wairarapa.

Hinemoa was a Chieftainess of a tribe,
who lived in a village of Owhata,
located by the shores of lake Rotorua.
On lake Rotorua there is the Island of Mokoia,
four kilometers across the water from Owhata.
On this Island there lived another well born but unfortunately
illegitimate young man named Tutanekai.
The tribes of the two young lovers would sometimes
visit together for special occasions, so it was during these times that
Hinemoa and Tutanekai would come to
know one another and fall in love with each other.
The love of Hinemoa and Tutanekai would grow
stronger and stronger with each passing day,
and there were times in the evening when
Tutanekai would declare his love for Hinemoa
from the Island of Mokoia.
Tutanekai would sit on the verandah of his house,
which was on a hillside overlooking the Lake,
and he would play his flute.
A gentle breeze in the evening would carry the sounds that
Tutanekai played drifting across the waters of lake Rotorua.
Hinemoa as she stood on the shores of the lake would
listen intently, embracing the music from
Tutanekai as he declared his love for her.

However as often as it happens in life Hinemoa's
relatives suspected that she had fallen
in love with Tutanekai and although he was
considered a nice young man, it was not
the wishes of the tribe that the two should unite together in marriage.
Every night they would ensure that all the canoes were
beached up so that Hinemoa would not be able to pull
the canoe into the water and make her way across the lake
to be with her lover Tutanekai.

One evening as Hinemoa stood on the shores of the lake with her
heart so heavy and eyes full of tears, listening to the melody of
Tutanekai's flute, she felt she could bear it no longer.
She lashed together six gourds in order to
keep her afloat and waded herself out into
the lake, being guided along by the music of Tutanekai,
she swam the long journey to Mokoia Island.
When she finally reached the island after hours of exhaustion,
she came across a hot pool and entered it.
She was trembling with cold from the journey
but her heart was full of joy.

Sometime later Hinemoa could hear footsteps coming and
she saw what appeared to be the shadow of a man filling a cala bash with
water from a cold spring next to the hot pool.
At that moment Hinemoa imitated the sound of a mans voice and
called out loudly "Who is that for!"
"I am the servant of Tutanekai, this water is for my master", came the reply.
Hinemoa's heart was glad knowing that she was so close
to Tutanekai's home. She then seized the calabash from
the servant and broke it on the rocks.
The servant then raced back to his master Tutanekai and
reported to him the strange incident that occurred
at the hot pool, but Tutanekai was too tired and
heart broken to do anything.

The servant once again returned to fill the calabash with
water and again Hinemoa seized the
water calabash and broke it on the rocks.
This would happen time and time again until
Tutanekai finally decided to do
something about the matter himself.
Taking hold of his club he quickly hurried down to
the pool to kill this stranger that
had insulted him. Calling out for the intruder to
identify himself, Tutanekai quickly made
his way around the hot pool reaching around
the edges, until finally he grabbed the arm
of the adversary pulling him out of the water into the moonlight.

"Tutanekai" she whispered, "It is I Hinemoa"

Tutanekai surprised as he was, stood and stared at
her in the moonlight, they then
embraced each other as the two young lovers made
their way back to Tutanekai's house.
No longer would they be separated from each other again.

The next morning as the two lovers slept in late,
Tutanekai's father sent his servant off to wake him,
it was then reported by the servant that as he approached the door of
Tutanekai's house, as he looked into the room he could see
two pairs of feet and not one lying in Tutanekai's bed.

After that Hinemoa and Tutanekai emerged
together embracing one another.
From that moment on their union and love for one another was
accepted by their relatives and tribes.

This true love story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai is considered to be
the greatest love story that is recorded in Maori History,
the descendants of these two young lovers still
play out this famous legend today in the city of Rotorua,
serenading wedding couples with their world famous love song
" Pokarekare ana" the greatest love song in the
History of the Maori People.

Legend Of Love

According to the Maori legend, it is here in the city of
Rotorua on the Island of Mokoia,
that the seeds of love were planted many generations
ago by two of our famous ancestors, Princess Hinemoa and Tutanekai.
Their endless love for one another is recorded in Maori
history as the greatest love story ever to be told.

Experience your wedding ceremony in the company of their decendants
as we embrace and serenade you with a rendition
of their world famous love song
"Pokarekare ana" the greatest love song from the greatest love story
in the history of the Polynesian Maori.

Many, many years ago, the romance of Tupurupuru and the beautiful maiden Konini, was retold over and over by the Wairarapa Maori people, and handed down through many generations by the hapu (tribes), where the roots of the romance first came into existence. Our story began in the Valley of Taueru, at a place known as Te Whiti, on a hillside where a cave exists even to this day. The cave was, and is still, known as Tupurupuru's cave. It is sited in the middle of a clearing in the vast forest which surrounded the Taueru Valley.

On a beautiful clear morning just at the break of dawn, the surrounding bushland was filled with the songs of thousands of birds - the tui, kaka, bell-bird, the tiny riroriro, the cooing of the kereru (wood pigeon), and other songsters who all contributed their part towards the melodious music of the forest. The last calls of the kiwi and the weka had ceased at the approach of dawn, while the sweet melodious notes of the sacred huia, could be heard calling its mate from amongst the scarlet blossoms of the rata tree. Soon it would be spring again, and from now on could be heard the long drawn out notes of the migrating pipiwharauroa, the long-tailed cuckoo.

Within the cave a young man awoke out of his sleep. This was Tupurupuru, known to his kith and kin as ‘Tu'. Now Tu was awakened from a vivid dream, and as he rose and stretched himself, one could see that he was very tall, very lean, but very powerfully built. He seemed full of eagerness and purpose as he moved about preparing a meal, and well he might be, as in his dream his father, Mananui, had appeared to him, as he had done many times before.

Mananui in his time was a great tohunga, who had devoted all his powers to bring up his son to be mighty and powerful - for a set purpose. This purpose was to slay the taniwha Huarau.

For many years the taniwha had been raiding his pa and fishing parties. Ngarara Huarau, being a water taniwha, could not travel very far from the water. His permanent home was at Uwhiroa, the swamp of some 500 acres in the centre of the Longbush area. This swamp was very tapu to the older Maoris, even after the early European advent into the Wairarapa. The usual route the taniwha took on his foraging was down the Makahaka stream, through Gladstone, and thence to the Taueru and the Ruamahanga rivers. Now on one of its raids the taniwha came upon a large fishing camp, with people from several pa who had joined together to harvest kakahi (fresh water pipi), eels and native trout, etc.

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The camp was pitched near where the Taueru river flows into the Ruamahanga river. The taniwha came upon the campers so suddenly, that very few were able to escape from the monster. Among those who escaped was Konini, the beautiful maiden who was betrothed to Tupurupuru.
Konini lived with her parents at Kehemane, near the present road from Martinborough to Pope's Head, on the bank of the Huangaroa river.

A few days before the taniwha Ngarara Huarau raided the fishing camp at Taueru, Tupurupuru had journeyed to Kehemane to visit his beloved Konini. On arrival there he was told that she had left with a party to go fishing at the Taueru river. Tu immediately left in great fear as the taniwha had been very restive of late. On arrival at the fishing camp, and seeing the terrible havoc that the taniwha had made, he immediately hastened to Hurunuiorangi, which was the nearest pa, to make inquiries.

The people there told Tu that a number of their people had been killed by the taniwha, but that Konini had been with a party snaring pigeons, and had escaped somewhere, perhaps to Hinewaka. Tu refused to rest or take food, and hurried on to the Ruamahanga river, where he plunged in and swam swiftly for the opposite shore. He travelled up the Maungarakis to Hinewaka. By the time he reached Hinewaka, he was becoming very weary, so accepted the food that was pressed upon him, and rested. He was very disappointed that his friends had seen no trace of Konini's party.

Komene Tahana, the chief of Hinewaka, suggested to Tu that perhaps Konini and her friends had fled north to Ngaumutawa, so Tu, deeply troubled, said goodbye to his friends at Hinewaka, and set off down the hill to Taueru, and swam the river to the other side. Just as darkness was falling he came to one of his favourite caves, the stopping place at Te Whiti.

Tupurupuru was now eager to be on his way, because while he was in a deep sleep at the cave, his father Mananui appeared before him and raising his hand in salute, had said, ‘Greetings, my son. You have done well, and I have come to calm your fears. You shall hear of your beloved Konini if you go to Ngaumutawa, but you will not find her without further worry. Remember that wedlock is tapu to you until after you have destroyed the taniwha Ngarara Huarau. Also, my son, you have only one man to fear. Beware of Morunga, he is full of treachery. Farewell my son, until you have carried out my heart's desire. Then will I appear before you again.'
So Tupurupuru left his cave, and sped swiftly north with great eagerness, hoping to see his beloved Konini safe and well. Again swimming the Ruamahanga, near where the Waingawa river flows into it, he hurried to Ngaumutawa.

Here he learned that Konini and her party had left two days ahead of him for Hakakino, by way of Kaikokirikiri. There he learned that the party had stayed for only a short while and then set off for Hakakino, on the banks of the Wainuioru river. After accepting a little food to help him on his way, Tu set out on a well-beaten track to the east, then after crossing the Ruamahanga river once more, swiftly passed through the dense forest on to Te Oreore flats, climbed the Weraiti hills and came to the Taueru river. Crossing the river, he decided to pause awhile beside the Patukawa stream for food and drink before striking out up the spur on the track to Kumukumu, and then on to Hakakino pa.

While travelling along a certain spur, he thought he had heard a sound ahead. Springing behind a large matai tree, he peered through the leaves of the rangiora which were very dense thereabouts, and saw a runner coming down the track panting heavily. As the runner passed, Tu pounced upon him, seizing him in his powerful arms. He threw him to the ground, knelt upon him and cried out, ‘Ko wai koe' (who are you). Then seeing that the runner was winded, Tu waited for him to speak.

Presently the runner spoke, ‘I am Epihana Te Tau. I was visiting friends at Hakakino, when we were raided by a Te Raki taua (a northern war party). We were overpowered and the place was ransacked.'

Hearing this, Tu sprang up and cried. ‘When did this happen. Did you see a tall beautiful maiden by the name of Konini? Come, answer, man!' ‘It happened this morning.' the runner said, ‘and Konini was among five or six of us who dived off the cliff into the Wainuioru river. The last I saw of her. she was swimming downstream.'

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On hearing this, Tupurupuru seized his hunting spear and dashed on his way. As he neared Hakakino be became wary, and treading softly, crept near to where the raiders were resting. Tu could hear that there was an argument going on. and on creeping closer, heard the leader of the party say, ‘Enough! I decree that we depart on our way home tomorrow.'

Tu, skirting the camp silently, descended to the river, then scouting the bank for any human sign, he presently saw small footprints in the sand of the riverbed. He knew they were made by his beloved Konini. Swiftly following the footprints up the bank of the river into the bush, he soon came upon Konini, lying seemingly lifeless beneath a large totara tree.

In great fear, Tu rushed forward, and throwing himself beside her, placed his head upon her breast to hear if her heart was beating. To his great joy, it seemed to be beating quite strongly, but her whole body began shivering. Realising that she was suffering from cold and fatigue, he lifted her in his arms and carried her deep into the forest in a westerly direction.
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After tramping some distance, he decided that they were quite safe and that Konini needed warmth and food. Searching round, he came upon a large totara tree from whose branches a lot of kiekie leaves had fallen to the ground. By crumbling some dry totara bark and twirling two sticks between his hands, Tu soon had a fire going close to the tree. Taking a cooked kereru from his kit, he broke off pieces of the bird into a calabash he carried on his belt. Adding water from a nearby stream, he placed the ipu on some hot ashes to warm. Scraping the fire away from the tree, he placed some of the dry kiekie leaves where the fire had been, and lifted Konini upon the bed of leaves. Konini ceased to shiver as the warmth from the ground where the fire had been penetrated through the leaves.
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Konini gave a slight moan, and Tu, who was watching her closely, seized the ipu and pressed it gently to her lips, tipping it so that the warm liquid passed down her throat. Presently Konini opened her eves. Seeing Tu. she smiled and gave a deep sigh, than sank back into sleep. Now that Tu had found his loved one, he realised he would have to find a safe place for them to hide until the raiders had gone. Finally he decided to carry Konini high up on the Maungarakis to a limestone cave beneath the top of Pariwarariki.This cave was large and dry, and as Tu often used it, he always kept a good stock of dry wood there. Also, there was a small spring of good fresh water nearby, which never ran dry. In a cunningly devised sling, he kept smoked tuna and kereru. By the time he had reached the cave with his burden. Tupurupuru was completely tired and weary. He and his beloved Konini were quite safe from the raiders, and could rest and recover their strength.

Early next morning, when the birds of the forest began their morning chorus. Tu was up and about preparing a meal. Treading softly, he crept to where Konini was sleeping, and as he watched her. she opened her eyes. Seeing her beloved Tu, Konini sprang to her feet crying, ‘E Tu, ko koe tena' (Oh Tu, is it really you). I have had a terrible dream. Where are we? Where is this place? I have prayed for Tane, and all of our other gods, to send you to me.'

‘Hush,' said Tu, ‘you were exhausted when I found you near the Wainuioru river. Are you feeling better, my loved one? Are you hungry? Come, here is food to eat. Let us eat, and then we can bask in the sun, and admire the scenery until we recover. Then I will take you back to your parents at Kehemane. They will be fretting over you.' There was great jubilation at Konini's home when they arrived, and Tupurupuru was feted, as was Maori custom on such an occasion.

When the time came to say goodbye. Konini and her parents begged Tupurupuru to remain. Konini's parents wanted him to stay and marry their daughter. But remembering his father's great desire that his son should slay the taniwha Ngarara Huarau, Tu told Konini and her parents that he was under a vow to his father to slay the taniwha, and that marriage was tapu to him, until he had fulfilled the vow. It is satisfying to place on record that Tupurupuru did slay the taniwha, and was married to his beloved Konini. So ended one of the most well known romances of the Wairarapa.

The story of He Ika A Maui
as told by Thomas Kahu of Whale Watch Kaikoura.
Maui and his exploits are legendary within Maori story telling, especially significant to us "Ngati Kuri" is the story of "He Ika A Maui".Te Waiponamu (the South Island), is the waka upon which Maui and his brothers fished up the north island, and is what forms the focus of this story.Maui was determined to go fishing with his brothers, but they did not want to take maui with them, and so he stowed away on their fishing boat until they were well out to sea. He then, to the disappointment of hi brothers, sprung from his hiding place, yet Maui managed to convince his brothers not to turn back with him, but to continue on with the fishing trip.

He prepared his line and magic jawbone hook, and used his blood as bait as his brothers refused to share their bait with him. Soon after he had dropped his line he felt a tremendous pull on the line. He had landed a mighty fish, the water became turbulent and his brothers were fearful, pleading with Maui to cut the line and release his catch. Maui refused and begun to haul his mighty fish to the surface. The strain on the line was so immense that Maui needed to adjust his footing by placing one foot on the side of the waka, giving him better leverage to haul the great fish to the surface. So tremendous was the strain, that the side of the waka broke out into the sea forming the Kaikoura Peninsula, Te Whakatakahanga A Maui. This secret was retained by Ngati kuri and preserved in nature within the Kopu a species of limpet. The Limpet makes great fishing bait but be prepared, you may get more bite then you can chew.

The Story of Kupe and Te Wheke

The story of Te Wheke
as told by Michael ElkingtonWhen stories where told to us we were always encouraged to seek out other versions, to gain an understanding, or see the events from another point-of-view. This is one such story.A long time ago in far away Hawaikii, a Tohunga (a magic man) named Muturangi, sat brooding, thinking of his revenge upon the villagers who had banished him to the far and lonely side of the island.

Muturangi was one day by the water when he came across a wheke (octopus) feeding in the shallows. Quickly using his powers, he charmed the creature and became its master.Muturangi would send Te Wheke, the octopus, out to catch fish and bring them back for him to eat. One day he had an idea, and told Te Wheke "go to where the villagers set their fishing nets, and take the fish that are caught in their nets, it will be easier than having to catch the fish yourself". Even with plenty of food, and revenge on the villagers, Muturangi was still unhappy and continued to brood.The fishermen returned to the village without any fish at all, but worse, the nets had all been damaged, some now useless beyond repair."Who is taking our fish" cried one fisherman, "my net, it's ruined" said another. The fishermen where confused so they went to find Kupe, a very respected Maori warrior to ask him what it meant.

"I will go fishing, and see what is destroying our nets and taking our fish" said Kupe. Travelling in his Waka (canoe), Kupe was upon the fishing grounds as te Ra, the sun, slowly rose to start his new journey.Setting his net, Kupe lay in wait. Only a short time had passed when he noticed a disturbance in the water and then slowly became aware of the presence of magic.Muturangi! - And he was using this Wheke to wreck the villagers nets and feed himself!Kupe struck Te Wheke with his Taiaha (a long club) and a great battle ensued, Kupe was very strong and as fast as the fastest wind, his fighting skill was famous butTe Wheke had eight arms and was quick also.On they fought, on and on, striking, blocking, spinning out of the way, again and again, sometimes the eye unable to track what was happening, arms and Taiaha spinning everywhere.

This great struggle moved across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, the great ocean of Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean), till Kupe managed to bring Te Wheke to Te Tau Ihu (the Northern part of the South Island) and with greater effort began to land more blows against Te Wheke.Great gouges were carved out of the land and the sea rushed-into these gouges during the titanic struggle, till Te Wheke began to weaken, and tire. Realising his doom Te Wheke became more and more desperate to get away, the motion of his many arms backing away caused great boulders to be churned up in a long line.
Kupe could sense victory.

Leaping into the air Kupe brought all his weight to bear and delivered the mortal blow with such force that Te Wheke was killed outright, splitting him into two.
When Te Wheke was split his eyes landed in other parts of the Te Tau Ihu region. When they landed they turned to rock, one of the rocks is next to Arapawa Island in the Tori Channel and it is said to be bad luck to gaze upon the "eye of the octopus" if you are a first time traveller on the Raukawa Moana (the Cook Strait). The other eye landed at Ngawhatu, a small valley at the back of Stoke.

The full name of the valley is Nga Whatu o Te Wheke o Muturangi (The Eyes of The Octopus Of Muturangi).

Both rocks/eyes have been studied and neither are geologically compatible with their surroundings, their composition is not natural to the areas they're in.
Today, the gouges that were carved in the land by Te Wheke are named the Marlborough Sounds, and the churned up boulders were how the Nelson Boulder Banks were formed. The Ngawhatu valley (located behind Stoke, Nelson) was so named due to the hills that were formed by the body of Te Wheke being split in two.